A large crowd gathered all day at the Weizhou Grand Mosque in Ningxia, built in the elaborate, Middle Eastern style and recently opened after two years of construction.

They demonstrated against an Aug. 3 announcement by the provincial government that the mosque was not granted appropriate building permits and must be demolished.

The announcement added that the government would "forcefully demolish it according to law" if mosque managers refused to comply.

At midnight, the local county head told the demonstrators that the government would not demolish the mosque. He added that a reconstruction plan, agreeable to local authorities, would be negotiated.

A source close to the government said the agreement would have eight of the imposing mosque's nine domes removed.